One of my most distinctive ~ and most annoying ~ Traits is of course my propensity for adapting or simply inventing NomenClature to suit my perception of the LandScape, if I believe the prevalent vocabulary to be inadequate.

Such is the case with Defensive Ends. NFL Defenses have become more'r less evenly divided between "43" Teams and "34" Teams. Far more importantly, though, the line between "43" and "34" is rapidly becoming a very fuzzy one.

Teams are increasingly going with Hybrid Theory Concepts, and the result is that many "Positions" are becoming Hybrids.

Defensive Ends are at the very crux of this changing LandScape. Traditional "34" Ends are just as likely to be employed as 3 Tech Tackles, traditional "43" Ends are just as likely to be deployed as "34" Flank Defenders ~ "OutSide LineBacker", to you Earthlings ~ and both are increasingly being asked to morph between Roles.

As such, I consider the old notion of pretending that these guys all go into one "Defensive End" Category to be silly.

And I also find the idea of sub-categorizing them as "34" Ends and "43" Ends, while a step in the right direction, to be ridiculously inadequate: It ignores the fact that half these guys won't even be deployed that way, and it ignores the fact that a rapidly increasing number of Defenses are going to ask them to morph between Roles.

Lion is going to be my term for the 280 Pound Plus Defensive Ends who could project to Tackle.

Lions will get drafted either to play "34" End, "43" Tackle...or both.

Dragons will get drafted either to play "34" Flanker, "43" End...or both!!

I should also add that some Prospects generally considered to be Defensive Tackles will fall under my definition of a Lion. Indeed, the way the Strategic & Tactical LandScape is evolving these days, it is of course not uncommon for an erstwhile Tackle to get kicked out to Defensive End. But of course what each Coach does with his Personnel is his Business.

My Purpose here is to try to categorize Prospects by Type, and I believe that there is substantial difference between Prospects who could play both End and Tackle and Prospects whose Skills Sets suggest that they do.

These latter are genuine Hybrids ~ Lions ~ and it is my Hope that those of you who honor my Site with your Visits will find my efforts to distinguish the one type from the other ~ wrought with Peril though it be!! ~ to be useful to your Purposes.

***

When evaluating Lions, these are the Attributes to which I pay most particular attention:

Power. Above all: Core Power. Upper body Strength is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body strength in the world still fails if you can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables a Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game. And those Players who invest the time and effort to develop superior Core Power are far likelier to enjoy sustained good Health and stay on the Field.

Agility. Lateral Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.

Combat Skills. Mechanics. Launch Velocity, Paw Power, and Technique.

Intangibles. Diagnostic Capacity, Processing Speed, and Motor. How effectively he masters Spatial Diagnostics & Angles, how rapidly he recognizes and implements Blocking Schemes based on changing Defensive Tactics, and of course: Drive. How badly he wants it. These are of course difficult things to assess, but it's crucial to at least try to.

Kareem Martin Scouting Report

Power. Deficient. Yes, my Fellow FootBall Fanatics: I'm aware that he absolutely crushed it on the Broad Jump and that he excelled on the Vertical and the Bench Press...But with the exception of the Bench, those Metrics simply don't show up on Tape: Martin's Torso Power is impressive, but right now his Core Power is dangerously weak.

Agility. Mediocre. His Launch Velocity is sluggish, and his Fluidity, Ricochet, and Acceleration are all unremarkable.

I don't wish to Hate on Kareem Martin, and grading'm so harshly gives me no pleasure.But in every Aspect of the Game that I emphasize most ~ Core Power and Fluidity above all ~ Martin seems to these eyes to grade dangerously low. I cannot help but speculate that his BreakOut Senior Campaign, followed by a spectacular performance at the Combine, have driven his Stock far, far higher than his Tape actually warrants.Of course one cannot overemphasize how thin, how very very thin, the line really is between SuperStar and Grocery Clerk.A BreakOut Campaign, often followed by impressive Metrics at the Combine or Pro Day, very often highlight the Resumes of Prospects that I pound the table about ~ Prospects about whose ﻿Trajectory﻿ I will not shut up.I am obscenely in the minority about Kareem Martin, one of the Risers of this Draft Class, and as my standard Disclosure Statement will tell you: I'd be the last one to claim that I'm infallible. I'm still very, very new to all this.But I add no Value whatsoever, if I don't go with what The Voices tell me, and The Voices tell me that Kareem Martin projects not as this Powerful Force that he's being made out to be, but as a Reserve...and possibly not even that.Thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Work by the men of Draft BreakDown!!

﻿Yank Rank: Contender ~ OverRated!!﻿

Consensus Market Value

﻿2nd Round﻿

Yankee Grade

﻿4th/5th Round

Please Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men of Good Will!!